Live update: Most Whatcom County schools closed; black ice is a concern for commuters
Most Whatcom County schools are closed Tuesday after another inch or two of overnight snow and freezing temperatures that are expected to make roads treacherous in the evening and early morning hours.
Only flurries are forecast overnight Tuesday, but unseasonably cold temperatures are expected to continue through this week, along with intermittent snow showers in the Western Washington lowlands, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Seattle said Tuesday. The region is under a cold weather advisory through Wednesday as temperatures hover about 10 degrees below normal for early February.
Snow that melts during the day can freeze overnight, resulting in black ice for the morning and evening commute, the weather service said.
Roads throughout lowland Whatcom County were passable but covered in compact snow and ice early Tuesday, according to traffic cameras and online reports.
Bellingham International Airport showed a temperature of 22 degrees with a wind chill of 8 as cold air streams south from the northeast, a pattern called a Fraser Outflow.
“Look out for compact snow, wind and icy conditions this morning. Plan extra travel time for a challenging commute,” the Washington State Department of Transportation tweeted at 7 a.m.
Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Meridian, Mount Baker and Nooksack Valley schools are closed Tuesday, and all athletics and extracurricular activities are canceled.
“Due to continued drifting snow and frigid wind chills, all Nooksack Valley Schools District schools and programs are closed once again today,” the district said at its website about 6:15 a.m.
Schools in the Bellingham district are on a two-hour delay. Bellingham buses are on snow routes in both morning and afternoon, and morning preschool is canceled.
Bellingham Technical and Whatcom Community colleges are on a two-hour delay Tuesday. Online WCC classes will run as scheduled.
No flights were delayed at Bellingham International Airport. Most Whatcom Transportation Authority buses were running but delays are possible because they are moving slower with tire chains.
Light snow began falling about 6 p.m. Monday. Traffic on Interstate 5 near Blaine was delayed by a crash involving a semi that took most of the night to clear, the Washington State Department of Transportation tweeted.
Whatcom County road crews were working 12-hour shifts around the clock to keep roads clear, Mandy Feutz of the Whatcom County Public Works Department told The Herald in an email.
“The Fraser Outflow is causing significant drifting in the northern half of the county. Blaine, Lynden, Sumas, and the central (Meridian) area are especially bad,” Feutz said.
“Our crews remain focused on priority roads. A map of these routes is available on the Whatcom County Travel Planner. Checking this helps drivers know where we’ll focus our efforts. Drive cautiously and stay home if you can,” she said.
Bellingham Public Works crews were staying ahead of the weather, partly because the city received less snow.
“For tomorrow’s commute, we’re in a much better position on our primary and secondary arterials. These are generally in very good shape, ranging from dry to bare and wet. Our crews will be applying salt brine solution overnight to help prevent ice formation, as long as temperatures remain above 20 degrees. This will be a key part of our ongoing effort to address conditions on those main streets,” spokeswoman Riley Grant told The Herald in an email
Side streets were likely remain snowy and icy, Grant said.
“We’ll be working overnight to address as many residential streets as conditions allow. While the main roads should be good, drivers need to continue to be extra cautious once they leave those main thoroughfares,” she said.
Schools across Whatcom County were closed Monday after overnight snowfall and cold winds blowing from the Fraser River Valley of British Columbia made roads slick with compact ice and snow.
Snow accumulations varied across Whatcom County on Monday, with Sudden Valley receiving 2 to 3 inches, parts of Bellingham getting 1 inch or so, and Blaine seeing about 6 inches, according to observations.
School officials usually wait to cancel classes until they’ve had a chance to evaluate local roads and take the day’s forecast into account.
“We closely monitor the weather. Most often, decisions are made in the early morning rather than the night before so that the most current weather conditions and forecasts can factor into the decision,” the Bellingham Public Schools website states.
This story was originally published February 3, 2025 at 4:31 PM.
